Remote control



June 22, 1943. w. A. BRUNO 2,322,563

REMOTE CONTROL Filed Aug. 27, 1941 IN'VENTOR BY MOCK? M ATTORNEYPatented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOTE CONTROLWilliam A. Bruno, Astoria, Long Island, N. Y., as-

signor to Bruno Patents Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application August 27, 1941, Serial No. 408,428

3 Clairns. (Cl. 175-320) The present invention relates to improvementsin coordinated control devices for the remote and local operation ofelectric circuits and more specifically to a system of coordinatedcontrol devices of the type described in my co-pending application Ser.No. 377,858 filed on February 7, 1941.

In the preferred embodiment of the system of coordinated control devicesfor local and remote operation of electric circuits, described in myabove named co-pending application, said control devices are providedwith depressible members and operating on a closed circuit. Uponmanually depressing one of the depressible members, resetting of anypreviously set upcombination takes place in said control devices, thisresetting being caused by the interruption of the flow of the steadycurrent in said circuit. The manual depression of said depressiblemember, by the electromagnetic action of a working current, also causesactuation in the operative position of the depressed member, andactuation in the operative position of the depressible membercorresponding to said depressed member in the coordinated controldevices. The manually depressed member, and the corresponding members ofthe coordinated control devices are retained in their operative positionby the electromagnetic action of the steady current, upon relieving themanual pressure exerted on said depressed member. Finally, means areprovided for actuating local circuits in the system to be controlled.

It is one object of my present invention to reduce the number ofelectric leads which are necessary for the proper electricinterconnections in my above mentioned system and to reduce the numberof electric resistances included in said system. Another object of theinvention is to reduce the number of switches in the individual pushbutton sets of the system, and to arrange the elements forming said setsin the. smallest possible space. Other objects and advantages willappear from the following specification in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing.

The drawing shows the wiring diagram of an arrangement of twocoordinated devices according to my present invention.

In the wiring diagram shown, two push button units are interconnected,each of these units consisting of 3 push button sets of substantiallyidentical construction, generally designated with reference numbers I,2, 3 and I, 2', and 3'. unit consisting of sets I, 2 and 3, is denotedin this application as a first unit. Each of these push buttonsetscomprises a push button I! Thewhich is provided with a push button rodI6, and can be manually pressed from the left to the right, viewed inthe drawing. Upon relieving the manual pressure exerted on a pushbutton, it tends to return into its original or rest position under theaction of suitable means, such as spring means, which are not shown inthe drawing.

Each push button set also comprises an electromagnet 24 and an armatureI4 which is attracted by said electromagnet when energize-d with asuitable current, and can be retained in its attracted position whensaid electromagnet is energized with a weaker current. As will beexplained in detail further below, each push button may occupy threedifferent positions, 1. e. the rest position, the depressed positionwhen actuated manually until it comes to a stop, and the position, inwhich it is held by the electromagnetic action of the electromagnet onthe armature contained in the push button set, upon relieving the manualpressure exerted on th pus button.

Each of the sets I, 2 and 3 comprises a throwover switch which consistsof springs 4, 5 and 6. The switch formed by springs 4 and 5 is closed inthe rest position, while the switch formed by springs 5 and 6 is open.As shown in the drawing, springs 4 and 6 are electrically connected witheach other. Furthermore, each of the push button sets I, 2, 3 and I, 2',and 3' comprises a pair of springs 1. Each of the sets I, 2 and 3 alsocomprises a spring pair 8. The units are electrically interconnected bymeans of 3 leads I9.

If a push button is manually depressed until it comes to its stop, thecorresponding switch I will be closed. Such manual actuation of a pushbutton does not cause any change in the position and functioning ofsprings 4, 5 and 8.

The operation of the device is as follows:

For actuating push button set I and its counterpart I, the operator inset I presses push button I'I until it comes to its stop. Thereby, asexplained above, switch I will be closed, and a current will flow fromthe positive terminal 9 through the closed switch I, said current beingbranched at I8 in two parallel paths, one flowing through the coil ofset I, and the other through the coil of set I, through leads I!) andI3, respectively, to their respective negative terminals II and 20.Thereby the coils of sets I and I' will be energized, and the respectivearmatures I4 will be attracted by the coils. The manual pressure exertedon push button I1 is now relieved. When the armature is attracted by itscoil in set I, the throw-over switch formed by springs 4, 5, 6, isbrought from its rest position into another position, in which contactbetween springs 4 and 5 is broken, and contact between springs 5 and 6is closed soon after such interruption. During this short period ofinterruption, the flow of current in the system is stopped, whereby thepreviously selected settings will be cancelled, as the attractedarmatures in the selected sets will move from their electricallyattracted position to their rest position. Since springs 4 and 6 areelectrically connected, this new position of the throw-over switch iselectrically equivalent to the rest position of the same. At the sametime, switch 8 will be closed by the action of armature I4, and areduced electric current will flow from the positive terminal 2|,through resistance 22, and the spring pairs 4, 5 of the push button sets3 and 2, respectively. This reduced or holding current then flowsthrough spring pairs 5, 8 or the throw-over switch of push button set I,and through the switch 3, which is closed new, to the coil oi pushbutton set I and lead It to the negative terminal II. The current isbranched at the left spring (viewed in the drawing) of switch I and apart of the current flows through lead I9 to the coil of set I, and thenthrough lead I3 to the negative terminal 22.

The beforenientioned holding currents are relatively weak, because theyflow through resistance 22, they are, however, strong enough forretaining the armatures of sets I and I in the attracted position. Thefull current, which is necessary to cause attraction of the arrnaturesby the coils, acts for a short period of time only during the manualdepression of the push button, and closing of switch I in order toreduce the heating of the system by electric currents.

The same procedure takes place if, instead of the push button of set I,the push button of set I is manually depressed. In this case, anelectric current flows from the positive terminal 9' through the closedswitch I of set I to 18', where the current is branched in two parallelpaths, one flowing through the coil of set I, the other through the coilof set I, through leads I3 and I9 respectively to their respectivenegative terminals 20 and l I. The full current causes both armatures insets I and I to be attracted, and the above described procedure takesplace.

Actuation oi the other sets 2, 3 and 2, 3 may be effected by depressingthe push button in one of the respective sets. Sets 2 and 2 may be, forexample, actuated by depressing the push button in set 2 or 2'.Actuation of these push button causes attraction of the armatures inboth sets 2 and 2. Upon the attraction of these armatures by therespective coils, the electric contact between springs 4 and 5 isinterrupted, and contact between springs 5 and 5 is established soonafter such interruption. During the short period of interruption, theflow of current from the positive terminal 2| through resistance 22 tothe coils of sets I and I is stopped, if the sets I and I werepreviously selected. This interruption is suificient for causing thearmature of sets I and I to move from their electrically retainedposition to their rest position.

As sets I, 2 and 3 contain only one spring pair each, there is amplespace in these sets for housing further spring pairs which serve for theactuation of local circuits.

The push button sets used in the units shown in the wiring diagram, maybe constructed in a manner substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 6of my above mentioned copending application Ser. No. 377,858.

The system according to my present invention has the important advantagethat two sets can not be operated at the same time, because the reducedcurrent flowing through the system is not sufiicient for supplyingenough voltage in parallel to more than 2 push button sets. Instead oftwo units, three or more units may be coordinated according to myinvention.

This invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but may beembodied in various equivalent forms and arrangements as may be desired,reference being had to the appended claims for a definition of thelimits oi the invention.

I claim:

1. In a system of coordinated control devices for local and remoteoperation of electric circuits, said system comprising a first unit ofcontrol devices and at least one further unit of control devices, saidcontrol devices being provided with depressible members and adapted tobe electrically connected in a circuit, means for supplying current tosaid circuit, means housed by said first unit of control devices, andadapted to interrupt the flow of current in said circuit and resettingany previously set up combination in said devices, upon depressing oneof the depressible members in one of the devices of said first and thefurther units, means for actuating the depressible members correspondingto said depressed member of the coordinated device by theelectromagnetic action of a full current, and means for retaining saiddepressible members in their operative position by the electromagneticaction of a. reduced current.

2. In a system of coordinated control devices for local and remoteoperation of electric circuits, said control devices being adapted to beelectrically connected in a first circuit and a second circuit of lowerintensity; means for supplying current to said circuits; said systemcomprising a first unit, and at least one further unit, each of saidunits comprising push button sets; each of said push button sets beingprovided with electromagnetic means for actuating an armature adapted toact on a push button rod of said push button set; each of the pushbutton sets of said first unit comprising a first switch controlled bythe push button rod of the respective push button set, a second switchcontrolled by the armature of the respective push button set, and athrow-over switch controlled by said armature; each of said push buttonsets of said first and further units being adapted to cause interruptionof the flow of current in said circuits, and resetting of any previouslyset up combination in said system by actuation of said throw-over switchof the control devices of said first unit, by manually depressing one ofthe push buttons in one of said push button sets; each of the pushbutton sets in said further units containing only one remote controlswitch controlled by the push button rod of the respective push buttonset; each of the push button sets in said further units being adapted toactuate local circuits in the device to be controlled.

3. In a system of coordinated control devices for local and remoteoperation of electric circuits, said control devices being adapted to beelectrically connected in a first circuit and a second circuit of lowerintensity; means for supplying current to said circuits; said systemcomprising a first unit, and at least one further unit, each ofsaidunits comprising push button sets; each of said push button sets beingprovided with electromagnetic means for actuating an armature adapted tobe attracted by said electromagnet; each of thepush button sets of saidfirst unit comprising a first switch controlled by the push button rodof the respective push button set, a second switch controlled by saidarmature of the respective push button set, and a throw-ower switchcontrolled by said armature; each of said push button sets of said firstand further units being adapted to cause interruption of the flow ofcurrent in said circuit by actuation of said throw-over switch uponmanually depressing one of the push buttons in one of said push buttonsets; each of the push button sets in said further units containing onlyone remote control switch controlled by the push button rod of therespective push button set; each of the push button sets in said furtherunits being adapted to actuate 10 local circuit in the device to becontrolled.

WILLIAM A. BRUNO.

